We'll be using this page, along with our Live Updates Blog, to update closings related to Idalia.
You can read the latest forecast story here. And we'll post sandbag locations here.
Toll Roads
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that tolls would be waived beginning at 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 along Florida's west coast in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia.
CLOSINGS BY COUNTY
HERNANDO COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The Office of Emergency Management has requested the use of several Hernando schools as shelters for residents.
To prepare, all schools and most district offices will close Monday - Wednesday Aug. 28-30.
Updates will be posted here as we get them and on the school's website.
CITRUS COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Emergency Operation officials have mandated the opening of our schools as shelters starting tomorrow Monday, August 28th in the afternoon. Therefore, we will be on a half day schedule for Monday, August 28th.
Dismissal for Elementary: 12:35pm
Dismissal for Middle School: 11:20am
Dismissal for High Schools: 11:40am
All schools will be closed on Tuesday, August 29th and Wednesday, August 30th.
All after-school programs and extra-curricular activities are cancelled beginning Monday afternoon until further notice.
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Bravera Health ER Citrus Hills: Closing temporarily at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Only the freestanding unit is closing and not the emergency department at Bravera Health Seven Rivers.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
On Monday, Hillsborough County schools announced: "We will close schools and suspend all after-school programs and extra-curricular activities beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, August 29, and Wednesday, August 30. All district offices will also be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
"At this point, it is anticipated that we will reopen and resume normal operations on Thursday, August 31. We will provide further updates if that plan changes." Follow the district on its website.
Tampa International Airport will close at 12:01 AM Tuesday. Check directly with your airline for the latest flight updates. Follow them on Twitter here.
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PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: HART service will be shut down tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 30, and may resume, weather permitting, on Thursday, Aug. 31.
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE: MacDill Air Force Base issued the following statement Tuesday: "Colonel Adam Bingham, MacDill Air Force Base Commander, has issued an installation-wide MANDATORY ZONE A evacuation to be completed by Tuesday Aug. 29, at 10 a.m. EST for non-mission essential individuals and dependents. This includes uniformed service members and their dependents and civilian employees and their dependents assigned to MacDill Air Force Base who reside in Hillsborough, Sarasota, Manatee, Pinellas, Pasco & Hernando counties Evacuation Zone A only. Those evacuating from ZONE A are authorized travel for up to 350 miles radius.
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COURT: Due to the current forecast and path of Hurricane Idalia, all courthouse facilities of the Thirteenth Judicial Court will be closed Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30.
Shelter and Juvenile Detention Hearings will be held at 10 am via Zoom. Preliminary Presentations (First Appearance Court) will immediately follow in courtroom 17.
Updates will be provided as the storm approaches, as necessary.
For further information and advisories, please go to https://www.fljud13.org/ or follow us on Twitter @13thCourtFL and Facebook Hillsborough County 13th Judicial Circuit Court.
Straz Center to close Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30, due to storm Idalia. Classes and activities at the Patel Conservatory have been cancelled for Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30. Parents and students will be contacted by a representative of the Patel Conservatory. The facility will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31.
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Rasmussen University Tampa Bay area campuses closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Classes and clinicals canceled Aug. 29 and Aug. 30.
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Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan announced that she is ceasing all Tax Collector operations due to the storm. Offices will be closing on Tuesday 8/29 and Wednesday 8/30. Any reservations for this week will be honored over the next two weeks, or customers can reschedule for another date by visiting hillstax.org
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TEMPLE TERRACE: City offices will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Sanitation services will operate as normal on Tuesday and resume as soon as conditions allow. There will be no yard waste pick up on Wednesday.
The City is making sandbags available to City residents at the Sports Complex located at 10369 US Highway 301 on Monday through 7 p.m. and again on Tuesday from 7 a.m. until noon (weather permitting). Sandbags from this distribution point are reserved for residents of Temple Terrace who must show a valid ID or recent utility bill that includes a Temple Terrace address. The station will be self-service with bags, shovels and sand provided. Assistance is available for the elderly or persons with disabilities. There is a limit of 10 sandbags per vehicle.
The City's Emergency Operations Center is now open. Police and Fire communications will remain operational throughout the storm, but responses to calls for service will be prioritized based on urgency and availability of emergency personnel.
PINELLAS COUNTY
Pinellas County Emergency Management has activated shelters in preparation for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Idalia. Therefore, all Pinellas County Schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, August 29 through Wednesday, August 30.
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The Stetson University College of Law Gulfport and Tampa Law Center campuses will be closed as of Monday, August 28 as of noon and remain closed through end-of-day Wednesday, August 30 due to Hurricane Idalia. Classes will be canceled through Wednesday.
Dormitory residents must evacuate the dorms and must do so by 10:00 am, Tuesday, August 29. Information will be provided on shelters, if needed, when it is available.
Classes will resume Thursday and Friday unless otherwise indicated.
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PIE: St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport will close at 3 pm on Tuesday, August 29th due to Tropical Storm Idalia and plans to reopen Wednesday, August 30th at 3 p.m. Passengers should check with their airline for flight information updates.
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PSTA: Due to the approaching storm, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is planning to suspend all transit services on Tuesday, August 29th at 5 p.m. until further notice. The suspension of service could also be enacted earlier if tropical storm-force winds are sustained at 40 miles per hour. The suspension includes all PSTA routes, including PSTA Access, the Jolley Trolley and Looper services. In addition, all PSTA routes will be fare-free on Tuesday, August 28th, to assist in evacuations. PSTA is currently working with Pinellas County Emergency Management to provide free bus transportation to designated shelters. Residents can view a list of shelters and routes on the Pinellas County website: www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/shelters.htm
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TAX OFFICES: All Pinellas County Tax Collector's Offices will be closed on Tuesday, August 29th and Wednesday, August 30th due to Tropical Storm Idalia. In-person services will be unavailable during these office closures. The tentative plan is to reopen on Thursday, August 31st. An update will be provided if necessary.
Any appointments scheduled for the office closure dates will be honored until Thursday, September 7th. The offices have documented all appointments that were canceled. Please have your appointment confirmation with you. Rescheduling your appointment is encouraged but not necessary. Customers may experience longer than normal wait times due to these accommodations. You can view and reschedule appointments at pinellastaxcollector.gov/appointments.
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TARPON SPRINGS: The City of Tarpon Springs will be closing all facilities in anticipation of the approach of Idalia on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 29 and 30, 2023. It is anticipated at this time that all facilities will reopen on Thursday, August 31st. This includes City Hall, Community Center, Library, Heritage Center, Cultural Center, Golf Course, Yard Waste and all park facilities. The Planning and Zoning Work Session scheduled for Wednesday, August 30th has been postponed to a future date to be determined. Following the lead of the State of Florida and Pinellas County, the City declared a state of emergency today. Please note that updates will be posted at https://www.ctsfl.us/emergency-management/
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INDIAN ROCKS BEACH: The City of Indian Rocks Beach offices will be closed on Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesda, August 30 due to storm Idalia.
No yard waste or recycling service on Wednesday, August 29th. No garbage service on Thursday, August 30th. Please refrain from placing limbs/yard waste or debris along the streets until next week.
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AdventHealth North Pinellas Evacuating: Due to Idalia and the projected storm surge of 5-7 feet, along with mandatory evacuation orders, the AdventHealth hospital in Tarpon Springs is evacuating out of an abundance of caution for the safety of patients, visitors and team members.
All elective procedures have also been canceled. More than 60 patients will be relocated to other AdventHealth hospitals in the region by 12 p.m. on Tuesday.
The AdventHealth North Pinellas Hospital ER will remain open until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, and the AdventHealth ER in Palm Harbor will remain open indefinitely.
PASCO COUNTY
The school district on Monday said: "Due to the approaching Tropical Storm Idalia, Pasco County School District will be closing schools on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Please take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of your families." Follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pascoschools
Pasco-Hernando State College campuses will be closed Tuesday Aug. 29 and Wednesday Aug. 30.
Saint Leo University has made the decision to cancel classes starting at 5 p.m. (ET) Monday. Classes will be canceled at all university locations and online Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30.
POLK COUNTY
NPCPS is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Idalia. Based on the current forecasts, schools will continue as normal Tuesday, Aug. 29. However, the district is cancelling all after-school programs and sport activities (including games and practices) on Tuesday.
All PCPS schools and district offices will be closed on Wednesday (Aug. 30) and Thursday (Aug. 31). At this time, the district anticipates reopening on Friday (Sept. 1). PCPS will continue to monitor the weather and consult with county emergency personnel in the days ahead. Any official announcements or updates will be communicated through automated phone calls and emails, as well as website and social media accounts.
Polk State College and its collegiate high schools will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and remain closed through Wednesday. The college is expected to reopen on Thursday.
MANATEE COUNTY
Due to Freedom Elementary, Miller Elementary and Mills Elementary Schools being scheduled to open as shelters Monday afternoon, the district is announcing that all schools and support sites will be CLOSED on Tuesday, August 29th, and Wednesday, August 30th.
In addition, all extracurricular activities and athletic events, including Extended Day programs, will end this evening at 6 p.m. Those activities and events will resume once school reopens.
The district will keep you updated on this storm and its impact on schools through mass notification phone calls, emails and texts; as well as through our social media sites on Facebook (ManateeSchoolsGoodNews), Twitter (@Manateeschools) and on district website at https://www.manateeschools.net.
Information regarding hurricane makeup days, if needed, will be communicated once school resumes.
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Sarasota Bradenton International Airport closed
The airport will close to all air traffic and the terminal will be locked and secured starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29. SRQ plans to reopen at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Aug. 30, pending damage assesment.
MAJOR UNIVERSITY CLOSURES
UCF: Unaffected at this time.
USF: All classes are canceled and all campuses are closed on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30.
UF: UF classes canceled, campus closed at noon Tuesday and will remain closed Wednesday.
FSU: FSU Tallahassee campus will close and cancel classes beginning at 12 noon ET, Tuesday, Aug. 29, and will remain closed through Friday, Sept. 1.
UT: Classes and non-essential activities and services will be cancelled Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30. Regular operations are planned to resume on Thursday, Aug. 31.
HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
AdventHealth West Florida division says has announced some closures ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia as it monitors the storm’s impact on its hospitals, emergency rooms and physician practices:
AdventHealth Medical Group
- Hillsborough County physician practices - Closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday
- Pasco County physician practices - Closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday
- Pinellas County physician practices - Closing at noon Tuesday
- North Pinellas Hospital - Evacuating patients at 12 p.m. Tuesday. The ER will remain open until 3 p.m. same day.
AdventHealth West Florida Division Care Pavilions
- Imaging Centers - closing at noon Tuesday
- Lab - closing at noon Tuesday
- Buildings - closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday
AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens
- Pinellas County Express Care - closing at noon Tuesday
- All other Express Care locations - closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
- Outpatient Care Centers - closing Wednesday